Residents take 1 600 rented chairs

Johannesburg - The Ekurhuleni Municipality has opened a criminal case with police after 1 600 rented chairs were taken by residents at a meeting, according to a report on Saturday.

This happened after a councillor apparently told the community that if they were unhappy with service delivery they could take a chair home, the Saturday Star reported.

The chairs were provided by the council for the meeting held by councillor Nkosinathi Shabalala in September last year.

Shabalala claimed that the rented chairs were never delivered to the venue where the meeting took place despite council spokesperson Samuel Modiba confirming it.

He said he borrowed chairs from a nearby primary school because the rental chairs did not arrive.

According to the report the municipality had to incur the cost of R143 894 in addition to a R6 400 rental fee that was agreed to with the service provider.

Modiba said the matter was still under investigation.

"A report has been referred to the office of the speaker of council to further look into the matter," he was quoted as saying.

Comments

frederick.kaczynski - 2013-03-09 14:14

i guess they weren't magically happy with service delivery after you flapped your lips then councellor? that how you politicians think isnt it? all you have to do is talk the talk and walk the walk and everything just miraculously happens.
amateurs...

Bullet Proof - 2013-03-09 14:48

Anything is good enough to steal.

Shirley Stee - 2013-03-09 15:00

Send the bill to the councellor! This is typical thinking of government-give away what is not yours-after all they take what is not theirs!

Wesley Nel - 2013-03-09 15:24

They had permission to take the chair.

Deidre Swanepoel - 2013-03-09 15:52

well that will teach you mr counsellor, of course no one is happy with any of the services provided by the ANC. Think I will start attending ANC meetings, sure I can make up a whole garden set for me and my unhappy friends, hahaha

Tebogo Kumalo - 2013-03-09 15:53

What a F.......N JOKE. What next....Let the IDIOT councillor pay for the loss, because of his stupid comment. He knowns for a fact they do absolutely F.....L for the people

Deidre Swanepoel - 2013-03-09 16:14

take your seats, hahahahahahahahaha

Imfene Imfene - 2013-03-09 16:18

More 'AFFIRMATIVE SHOPPING' by our masses - you gotta love South Africa, right..?? Any behaviour, any crime, any anything goes - just as long as you are 'African'..... All in the name of 'democracy' people...!!! What a joke this country has become - thanks entirely to the ANC!!

bibi.vanzyl - 2013-03-09 16:50

@Deidre; haha that can be the only explanation.:)) Did the officials not notice that the chairs left the venue with the crowds?

regte.boer - 2013-03-09 22:41

Typical ANC behaviour. Steal everything.

Deidre Swanepoel - 2013-03-09 23:25

bibi, in future (in south africa) when you tell people to take their seats, they might just take it and go, hehe

Lundile Zweni - 2013-03-10 11:40

the less said the better

Alexandra J. Little - 2013-03-09 14:16

This councillor is a true fighter of freedom. Giving people chairs for their grievances. How nice.

Klaus - 2013-03-09 14:33

Giving away things which are not yours is incredibly stupid, but what does one expect from a Shabalala,
over and above he was lying, as he pretended there where no chairs supplied

steve.dupreez - 2013-03-09 16:38

Jip and the tax payer will foot the bill as those attending the meetings hardly ever pay tax.

lacrimosewolf - 2013-03-09 17:20

Chairs from a PRIMARY SCHOOL (by Shabalala's account). So what are the pupil's sitting on?

NigelGauteng - 2013-03-09 14:19

welcome the free and democratic South Africa!

rodney.bevan.58 - 2013-03-09 14:45

This article has me giggling, funny as hell!

Lundile Zweni - 2013-03-10 11:41

lol this would have never happened in the good old days

Kevin Day - 2013-03-09 14:41

The cost of the chairs plus rental fee comes to R150 000, which is only one month's salary for the councillor. C'mon councillor, pay the bill. Maybe you'll learn from the pain that you have to think before you open your mouth!

henk63 - 2013-03-10 06:18

Think? Never!

Timothy Whyte - 2013-03-09 14:46

ONLY IN AFRICA,,,,,,,,Everyone was standing and giving applause to Councillor Nkosinathi Shabalala as she walked in then she told the crowd "please take your seats"

Well I suppose it beats having them hurl the chairs across the room as is the tradition in this country.

herman.brummer - 2013-03-09 14:56

only in Africa

Mphotant Thelejane - 2013-03-09 14:58

That basically we can all 'have a seat.' Who is happy with service delivery in this country.

Cathy De Jongh - 2013-03-09 15:06

OH GOD THAT'S FUNNY!!!!!

stertjie.stert - 2013-03-09 15:08

haha funny!!

Ian Despy - 2013-03-09 15:09

Typical ANC behaviour !!! They have this belief that we are as stupid as what they are.......actually thinking that they would get away with it is the height of their stupidity.

kenneth.fisher.750 - 2013-03-09 15:09

Thanks 'Chairman' Shabalala

bev.armstrong.372 - 2013-03-09 15:11

Chair today - gone tomorrow! Mr Shabalala is a stand up guy!

Imfene Imfene - 2013-03-09 16:29

I like that..... new Ekurhuleni black-taxi policy - e-chair 'she' does not count as e-carry-on luggage...

Stein Dewet - 2013-03-09 15:28

What colour are these residents? Must be white, because these colonials take everything for themselves.

Louis Hager - 2013-03-09 19:22

I get it. Sarcasm...

Opinion Blake - 2013-03-09 22:07

@ Louis Hager
You are a genius!

erena.slabbert - 2013-03-09 15:30

oh yes you dont even have to invite, I run a soup kitchen, kind hearted people donated mugs (glass) for the soup to be served in, ok so over time people just helped themselves with the mugs. So now we decline donations of any kind except soup and if you do not bring a mug you have to go home to fetch one. What a shame. We must educate the primary school children in all ernest if we want a well mannerd educated population.

tony.kirby1 - 2013-03-09 15:37

It has taken since September last year to lay a charge or report the extended "rental" of these chairs. Wonder how long it will take to get a result or an outcome that suites everybody.

Ursula Arnold Botha - 2013-03-09 15:41

Why was anyone surprised about this? This is how they live everyday, take(not steal) whatever you want because you want it! If the government can take (not steal) farms from people, use (not steal) taxpayers money to build their own mansions and fly around the world for family holidays, why can't they take (not steal) chairs? Din't you know...this was also apartheids fault!

Imfene Imfene - 2013-03-09 16:36

I would do 1000 thumbs up for this comment, if I could - you epitomized the 'African' mentality right there.... Everything must be for FREE, somehow with no effort and no work and no brains, they are somehow entitled to EVERYTHING... Shame, we must ALL feel sorry for the poor idiots - just look at the 'struggle' they have endured for the last million years..!!! And we must celebrate every little achievement they make - the same as we do training c-h-i-m-p-s.....!!!! Beyond ridiculous!!

carol.steenkamp.5 - 2013-03-09 15:50

Bwhaaaaaaaaaaa!! Haaaaaaaa! Haaaaaaaaaaaaa! What a SURPRISE!!!!!......same a service delivery...pay for it and NOTHING ARRIVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

david.wolpert.39 - 2013-03-09 15:51

Only in the ANC does corruption,dishonesty and idiocy reign supreme.

Annemarie White - 2013-03-09 15:52

Well, he did say.................

connie.heuer2 - 2013-03-09 15:56

I wonder if Shabalala will pay for the chairs she so generously gave away, and I bet sh gets to keep her job even if she does't.I'd love to be a fly on the wall when this is discussed in parliament.

Mogau Tjabadi - 2013-03-09 15:56

this surely must be a HAIBO article

maria.roth.589 - 2013-03-09 16:03

What a stupid thing to say. If they weren't happy with service delivery they could take a chair. What service delivery?

alwyn.vantonder - 2013-03-09 16:15

..and here we can see in which class falls the ANC.. Typical ANC style! They steal everything they get their hands on.. literally everything.. Then they point their greasy little fingers at someone else!

Opinion Blake - 2013-03-09 22:06

@ Walter Mphioe
"because mr councellor said they should take a chair home"
Do you then accept that these people cannot think for themselves and just blindly follow "instructions"? Surely not! That's discriminatory! Shame!

Patrick Saunders - 2013-03-09 16:22

they grow them stupid in ekurhuleni

Toni Watson - 2013-03-09 16:40

Investigate! ...investieget!....eenvesteeget.....thats what we do ,then evriebodee is hepie.
Dont warry,we investieget!

zelda.matthews - 2013-03-09 16:40

Dam i should of been there! Need new chairs for outside...

Toni Watson - 2013-03-09 16:43

Good day comrades please take a seat......scuffle....
Hey where u goin with that chair com back i havent made my speech yet,hey wena come back!

Erna Westdyk - 2013-03-09 16:50

How isa this stealing? The residents were told they could take a chair if they were unhappy with service delivery. Surely this is a no brainer that they would take the chairs!

Opinion Blake - 2013-03-09 22:03

And we should all do as we are told without thinking for ourselves.

Agent - 2013-03-09 16:52

So when these folks come into your office don't tell them to take a seat, it will be costly.

Jacques - 2013-03-09 16:54

Good Lord help us

george.pito - 2013-03-09 16:55

So he chaired the meeting. What a barbaric bunsh is ruling this country

Piet Pompies - 2013-03-09 17:02

That is fraud!!! Giving something away and then report it stolen???

Mike_or_Mpho - 2013-03-09 17:03

R150 000 for chairs? You got to be kidding me. African corruption in action me thinks

pws69 - 2013-03-10 13:28

R93 a chair, I think they got off light.

frikkie.botes - 2013-03-09 17:07

It wont bother them, they will just pay for the rented chairs out of the service delivery monies to avoid long court-cases but still wont provide service, if they can steal millions per day out of the public, a few hundred thousand wont be felt.

John America - 2013-03-09 22:16

Frikkie, they0did NOT steal the chairs, they were told to take it if they were unhappy, and that's what they did

Opinion Blake - 2013-03-09 17:09

It must be because of their Afrikaner Calvinist upbringing.
They're not Afrikaners? Not Calvinists?
What a surprise...I must be dreaming.

buhlebam.nyuswa - 2013-03-09 17:45

Knowing this particular councillor, he did tell the community to take the chairs (he is the sonof Ladysmith Blak Mambazo, Joseph Shabalala). He gets excited when in public and thereafter retracts his silly utterances

buhlebam.nyuswa - 2013-03-09 22:28

since he is rich - as he often reminds his constituency - he must settle this bill. It is unfortunate that he is one of the untouchables

gavin.taylor.79 - 2013-03-09 17:53

Three Chairs for the councillor..... "Hip hip, hooray...Hip hip,..."

AsGodIsMyWitness - 2013-03-09 17:57

How can you charge them with theft when the councilor told them they could take a chair home if they were unhappy with the delivery of services? Silly statement given how poor service delivery is wherever the ANC is in control!

Opinion Blake - 2013-03-09 22:16

And we should all murder/rape/defraud/speed when we are told to do so?
Are you suggesting that these people are unable to think for themselves?
Sounds a lot like unfair discrimination to me!

AsGodIsMyWitness - 2013-03-09 17:58

So if anything, send a bill to the councilor since he gave away something that does not belong to him.

jaap.kotze - 2013-03-09 18:04

Have a seat, 1600 seats!

Mandy Casey - 2013-03-09 18:14

Cheap chairs, R90 a piece. So obviously the crowd was not happy with service delivery.
What are they doing to fix service?

Tshepo Maredi - 2013-03-09 18:32

Was this the councillor's way of pacifying the community?

Louis Scholtz - 2013-03-09 18:41

The African way...

JudithNkwe - 2013-03-09 19:01

I think this is so funny! Ekurhuleni being hit for a duck by their voters!

Opinion Blake - 2013-03-09 22:01

It is very funny...especially if you accept that the community wanted to make a point about the poor service delivery.
It is less funny when you accept that the community just seized the opportunity to take something home that knowingly does not belong to them (stealing) which is most probably the case.

nicholus.nakanyane - 2013-03-09 20:35

Kwaaaak...u gotta love our country..this is the only country in the world wer ul hear stuff like this...kikikikiki..if its not a footless guy on a shooting spree its our president and our police..DA referees.haikhonaaaa...

Danny Davids - 2013-03-09 21:13

maybe they dont have chairs at home, dats why councillor said they cud take it home